Thuja plant named ‘Concesarini’

ABSTRACT

A new  Thurja occidentalis  (i.e., American Arborvitae) plant is provided which originated as a whole plant mutation of the ‘Linesville’ variety (non-patented in the United States). Unlike the parental variety, the new plant displays a distinctive much lower growing dense globular rounded growth habit. Good winter hardiness is displayed and the plant resists sun and winter burning. The plant is well suited for providing attractive and uniform ornamentation close to ground level.

Botanical/commercial classification: Thuja occidentalis/THUJA Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Concesarini.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Many varieties of Thuja occidentalis plants (i.e., American Arborvitae plants) are known in the horticultural industry. Among these is the ‘Linesville’ variety (non-patented in the United States) which is known to display a tight and compact growth habit with a dwarf mounded globe and soft sage-green juvenile foliage.

The new variety was discovered as a whole plant mutation of unknown causation among plants of the ‘Linesville’ variety growing at the nursery of the originator at Denton, Md., U.S.A. The new variety was observed to display a growth habit that was considerably lower than even its ‘Linesville’ parent. Had the new variety not been discovered and preserved it would have been lost to mankind.

It was found that the new Thuja plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) displays a much lower growing dense globular rounded growth         habit than the ‘Linesville’ variety (non-patented in the United         States),     -   (b) displays good winter hardiness,     -   (c) resists sun and winter burning, and     -   (d) is well suited for growing as attractive uniform         ornamentation close to ground level.

No cones have been observed during observations of the new variety to date.

The new variety of the present invention can be readily distinguished from its ‘Linesville’ variety parent and all other Thuja varieties known to the discoverer.

As indicated, the growth habit of the new variety is considerably lower than that of the ‘Linesville’ variety. When compared to the ‘Bogozam’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,215), the new variety forms greyed-green foliage unlike the golden foliage coloration of the ‘Bogozam’ variety.

The new variety is well suited for providing attractive uniform low-growing ornamentation in gardens and in the landscape over an extended period of time.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A., beginning in 2006, by the use of semi-hardwood cuttings has demonstrated that the distinctive characteristics of the new variety of the present invention are reliably transmitted from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety reproduces in a true-to-type manner by such technique.

The new variety has been named ‘Concesarini’ and will be marketed under the PANCAKE trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character a typical specimen of the new variety of the present invention.

Such plant of the present invention is shown at the right of the photograph.

For comparative purposes, a plant of the ‘Lineville’ variety is shown at the left of the photograph.

The depicted plants were approximately three years of age and were growing outdoors in the ground under full sun at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The significantly lower growth habit of the new variety is readily apparent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is based upon the observation of typical plants of the new variety at an age of approximately three years during the month of October while growing in containers in full sun at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. The growing conditions approximated those employed for the commercial production of Thuja plants. The chart used in the identification of colors is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 1995. Common color terms are to be accorded their customary dictionary significance.

-   Plant:     -   -   Height.—Approximately one foot for a three-year-old plant.         -   Width.—Approximately 2½ feet for a three-year-old plant.         -   Growth habit.—Extremely low growing, compact, dense,             globular, rounded, perennial evergreen shrub.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate.         -   Propagation.—Is well asexually reproduced through the use of             semi-hardwood cuttings.         -   Roots.—Fibrous. -   Stems:     -   -   Shape.—Generally oval.         -   Diameter.—Commonly approximately 1 cm for main branches, and             approximately 0.3 cm for lateral branches.         -   Length.—Commonly approximately 3 cm for main branches, and             approximately 17 cm for lateral branches.         -   Texture.—Glabrous and knobby with scales.         -   Color.—New growth in sprays commonly is Grey-Brown Group             199C with scales of near Greyed-Orange Group 167D, young             branches commonly are Greyed-Orange Group 166B with scales             of near Greyed-Orange Group 166A, and mature branches             commonly are near Greyed-Orange Group 177A.         -   Internode length.—Commonly approximately 3 cm on average at             the base and approximately 2 cm on average approaching the             tip. -   Branching:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, main stem arises from a base with             numerous secondary branches.         -   Frequency.—Commonly approximately 34 lateral branches on             average per main stem.         -   Aspect.—Main stems are substantially upright, lateral stems             are held at an angle of approximately 45° from a main stem,             and substantially flat sprays extend outwards. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Numerous leaves on planar branchlets, closely             alternate or opposite, and scale-like decussate.         -   Form.—Simple, facial pair keeled, flat pair flattened and             oblong.         -   Leaf size.—Approximately 2 mm in length on average, and             approximately 1 mm in width on average.         -   Leaf quantity.—Commonly approximately 15 leaves per cm on             lateral branchlets.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Venation.—Not apparent.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—On upper and lower surfaces glabrous, smooth, and             glossy.         -   Color.—New growth commonly is near Greyed-Green Group 191A             on the upper and lower surfaces, and mature growth commonly             is a blend of near Green Group 137A and near Green Group             141A on the upper and lower surfaces.         -   Fragrance.—Somewhat acrid when crushed. -   Development:     -   -   Resistance to disease.—No disease susceptibility has been             encountered during observations to date.         -   Resistance to pests.—No pest susceptibility has been             encountered during observations to date.         -   Weather tolerance.—Has been observed to be tolerant to             drought, rain and wind, and temperatures ranging from 0° to             100° F.         -   Cold hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone Nos. 3 to 7.

The new ‘Concesarini’ variety has not been observed to date under all possible environmental conditions. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, day length, and other cultural conditions without variance of the genotype. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Thuja plant having the following combination of characteristics: (a) displays a much lower growing dense globular rounded growth habit than the ‘Linesville’ variety (non-patented in the United States), (b) displays good winter hardiness, (c) resists sun and winter burning, and (d) is well suited for growing as attractive uniform ornamentation close to ground level; substantially as illustrated and described. 